West Elkton discusses grant, pay scales

The Village of West Elkton met Tuesday, March 11 to discuss surveying the village for a CDGB grant, pay scales for council members and their fiscal officer, and other issues.

Councilman Charlie Pennington was absent from the meeting, leaving three members present. Two remaining seats for council have not been filled.

A member of the public, Greg Keith, spoke in regard to a fireworks display his family hosts each year. This year, however, he would like to make the event more public, and to be hosted in West Elkton.

In terms of location, Keith suggested using the village ball diamonds, saying the location would be “ideal.”

“We was thinking the Fire Department is right there,” and it would be the safest place, said Keith. “Our fireworks displays run from 40 minutes to an hour. We put on a pretty decent display. It’s thousands, we spend thousands on it … and we don’t want anything for it,” said Keith. “Instead of keeping it to ourselves, we thought it’d be better to share it.”

Richard [Dick] Bair, spoke in regard to purchasing over five acres of land in West Elkton, to be used as a graveyard. In the process of purchasing the land, Bair explains he is currently in the process of working through zoning issues.

In other business:

Council approved an ordinance to adopt an enact American Legal Publishing’s Ohio Basic Code 2014 Edition as the code of Ordinances for the municipality of West Elkton.

Council will also be taking an inventory list of village office items, as well as items throughout the village, purchased by council for over $500. The list will be submitted to the state.

Council discussed a recent high-priced water bill that was caused by a water valve being turned back on after it had been winterized. The result caused the Village to debate with the County Commissioners as to who should foot the bill. “You know, I think meeting [the commissioners] somewhere in the middle is not a bad idea, because we both have some accountability … something should have been in there prior to secure that valve. But I think they’re just as responsible for that as we are,” said Councilman Gary Thompson.

Council is applying for a CDGB neighborhood revitalization grant, to conduct improvements to Ohio 503, also referred to as Main Street in the village limits. The funding will be used for the “Main St. 503 Curb and Sidewalk Improvements Project,” said Mayor Bill Crawford. Council will be hiring Kramer and Associates as the engineer for the project.

Council entered executive session to discuss pay scales for council members, as well as the pay for Fiscal Officer Becky Wilson. Once out of executive session, council announced that Wilson was offered a salary of $4,500 per year, which Wilson declined. Council members were offered $420 annually, in monthly installments. “Council members may be paid their full salary even if they did not show up to a meeting,” said Mayor Bill Crawford. “Provided the council members authorized such a payment by two-thirds vote.” In terms of the two-thirds vote, Wilson said, “We’re fighting that right now in Camden, and they passed an ordinance and it was repealed because all of the council members were not there, for your two-thirds. It has to be two-thirds of your council,” said Wilson. Mayor Crawford was provided information from the village’s attorney that stated otherwise. “I don’t know what else to do but other than to check with the attorney, and she provided me with the exact wording so, I mean that’s the best I can do,” said Mayor Crawford. “It only requires the two-thirds vote of the quorum.” The mayor will be paid $1,000 per year. In regard to Becky Wilson’s pay, “Based on our decision to set the annual salary $4,500 for the fiscal officer, Becky has decided not to stay on as fiscal officer. She will stay on through the end of this month, March 31,” said Mayor Crawford.